Log-turning device.



V. 'I'. GRA-BS.

LOG TURNING DEVICE.

APPLIOATIQN TILBD APR. 15, 1910.

973,423, Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

a/ 3f l f l 2.5 5

/9 i ,-/9- v o O l v lfk w i L 9 i .2\ z fr z 1 "g 1 V. 'l'. GRABS.

LOG TURNING DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED 11111.15, 1910.

973.423. Y Patented 001.1111910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

arenas.

VIRGIL T. GRABS, OF KING, NORTH CAROLINA.

LOG-TURNING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL T. GRABS, a citizen of the United States,residing at King, in the county of Stokes and State of North Carolina,have invented new and useful Improvements in Log-Turning Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a log turning device for saw mills, the objectof the invention being to provide a device of this character which issimple of construction, operative to positively turn the logs, andadapted to be conveniently thrown out of operation when its use is notdesired.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top planview of a portion of a saw mill frame embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a login the ope ation of being turned. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1,showing a modification in the construction of the log turner. Fig. 4 isa vertical transverse section on the line .L -it of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 designates asaw mill frame, 2 the carriage mounted to travel thereon, and 3 theadjustable knees or abutments against which the rear side of thesupported log 4 rests. Journaled in the frame 1 is a transverse driveshaft 5 carrying a pulley 6 for receiving power from a suitable source,and provided at its front and rear ends with bevel gears 7 and 8. Thegear 7 meshes with a gear 9 on a transmission shaft 10 journaledlongitudinally in bearings at the front of the frame and carrying a spurgear 11. Arranged above the shaft 1() is a rock shaft 12 carrying aloose idler gear 13 meshing with the gear 11 and provided .with bracketarms 14 forming bearing supports for a swinging shaft 15, carrying agear 16 mesh.- ing with the idler gear 13, whereby said shaft is drivenand also carrying smoothsurfaced log-turning rolls 17. A lever 18 isconnected with the shaft 12, whereby the la tter may be rocked to swingthe shaft 15 toward or from the front of the carriage. By such movementof the shaft 15 the rolls 17 may be brought into contact with the frontportion of the log below its center or swung vto the dotted lineposition shown in Fior. 2

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 555,641.

out of engagement with said log. The rolls are revolved inwardly andrearwardly by the gearing, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Uponthe rear of the frame 1 are arranged upwardly extending spaced bracketarms 19 in the lower and upper ends of which are respectively journaledshafts 20 and 21. The lower shaft 2O is provided at one end with a.beveled gear 22 meshing with the gear S and drives the upper' shaft 21through sprocket gearing' 23.

Pivotally connected at its rear end to the shaft 21 is a transverseswinging `bracket 24 having front and rear forked ends, said bracketbeing adapted to be swung upwardly and rearwardly to an inoperativeposition or downwardly and forwardly over the carriage to an operativeposition. The free forward end of this bracket carries a-sprocket wheel25 and is provided with a suitable manipulating handle 26, while uponthe shaft 21 between the arms of the rear end of the bracket is keyed asprocket wheel 27. Between the two sprocket wheels extends an endlesschain 2S having its links provided with hooked teeth or projections 29,the upper and lower stretches of the chain extending longitudinallyabove and below the body of the bracket. As shown, the arms of the rearfork of the bracket are formed with sleeves 30 which loosely engage theshaft 21, and carried by these sleeves are weights 31 whichconnterbalance the weight of the bracket and the parts carried thereby,thus enabling the bracket to be swung from an inoperative to anoperative position, and vice versa, in an easy and convenient manner. Itwill be observed that the gearing drives the chain 28 so that its lowerstretch moves forwardly, and that the hooks 29 face in such direction ofmovement.

Then the bracket is swung upwardly to an inoperative position, it may bebalanced in such position by the counteiweights 31 or supported in anyother suitable manner.

In operation when it is desired to turn the log 4 the rolls 17 are swungupwardly into contact with the log and then the bracket is swungdownward to cause the teeth 29 upon the front end of the lower stretchof the chain to engage the upper rear surface of the log above itslongitudinal center, the rollers 17 engaging the lower front surface ofthe log below its horizontal center as shown in Fig. 2. As, therefore,the rollers 17 will exert a turning pressure upon the base of the outerside of the log, while the teeth of the lower stretch of the chain willengage the upper portion of the inner sui'- face of the log and forcethe same outwardly, it will be apparent that the log will be given amore or less complete turn, depending upon the duration or extent of theturning movement.

In the embodiment of my invention disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4, theturning rolls 17 and the same` type of drive gearing are eniployed :asin Figs. l and 2, but instead of the bracket 24 and the endless turningchain 28, ay substantially U-shaped bracket 32 is employed vhaving itsarms provided with sleeves, 33 which loosely engage the shaft 2l andcarrying counterweight-s 34, the forward portion or cross bar of thebracket being provided `with an operating handle EX- tendiiiglongitudinally of said bracket in parallel relation are turning devices36 each comprising a bar provided at its forward end with downwardly andforwardly projecting log engaging teeth 37. The rear ends of the barsare formed with sleeves 38 which engage cranks 39 arranged at an angleof 18()O on the shaft 2l, while the forward ends of the bars have aloose sliding and pivotal engagement with the cross bars of the bracketthrough the medium of longitudinal guide members 40. By thisconstruction the toothed bars are adapted to reciprocate alternately inopposite directions in an undulatory path, the toothed portion of eachbar being depressed on its forward motion and eleva-ted on its rearwardmotion, as will be readily understood. Then the biacket 32 is,therefore, swung downward to an operative position, the previouslyadjusted rolls 17 will engage the lowei' front surface of the log, ashereinbefore described, while the toothed bars on their forward niotionwill alternately engage the upper reai surface of the log, whereby thelatter will be turned.

Having described the invention, I claim l. In a log turning device, thecombination, with a saw-mill frame and carriage, of a drive shaftmounted upon one side 0f the frame and carrying a driving gear, a rockshaft arranged above said driving shaft and carrying an idler meshingwith said gear, arms carried by the rock shaft, a third shaft supportedby said arms and carrying a gear Vmeshing with said idler, turning rollssupported by the third shaft, means for swinging the rock shaft to forcesaid rolls into and out of engagement with one side ofa log, acooperating device mounted upon the opposite side of the frame to engagethe opposite side of the log, and means for driving the said device andthe rolls through said gearing in opposite directions.

2. In a log turning device, the combination, with a saw-mill frame andcarriage, of turning rolls mounted upon one side of the carriage,gearing for driving said rolls, a transverse shaft for driving saidgearing, al

bracket pivotally mounted for movement in a vertical plane at theopposite side of the frame, a turning device carried by said bracket,and gearing driven by the transverse shaft for operating said turningdevice. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

VIR-GIL T. GRABS.

fitnesses S. L. PULLIAM, IJ. K. PULLIAM.

